The widespread hysteria over casino gaming is reaching a fever pitch as the issue will be studied closely by politicians in Frankfort.

Yet a different form of legalized gambling has been in place in Kentucky for years... Bingo.

Now, with slot machines and Blackjack tables possibly in the state's future... we surveyed local bingo players on the matter.

It's a weekly ritual for these Bingo players.

But instead of discussing Bingo strategies, the conversation's now are about legalized gaming.

Long-time Bingo player Minnie Holland is all for casinos.

"If we're going to have gambling in our state it's better because we don't need to go to Indiana and give them all of our money," says Holland.

But only as long as the money benefits the state.

"As long as it's put toward the things that we need here for the state," continues Holland.

Fellow Bingo player, Steven Waters says that's exactly why betting on casinos is bad business.

"Casinos are going to be for themselves and that's taking something away from charitable activities like this," he warns.

"The only thing with casino gaming is that the money's not going back into the community to help all of these programs that we help," says American Legion- Post 23 Bingo Chairman, Jim Manley.

Manley says in the past ten years, their revenues from Bingo have topped a million dollars... which is used to provide assistance to the community.

But he believes casinos will drain them of loyal Bingo customers.

"We feel like casino gaming is really going to kill us," he says seriously.

But Bingo patron... Beverly Roark feels that type of exodus isn't likely.

"I don't think it will, because there'll be a lot of people that don't like to go gamble on the boats and they'll continue to come on to Bingo," says Roark.

The opinions about legalized gaming are mixed, but everyone we talked to agree... voters should have the final say.

"You just can't send your representative out there and make a good judgment call on everybody's behalf, when he's not hearing from everybody," says Waters/

Manley feels Governor Steve Beshear is using the bleak outlook of this year's budget to convince Kentuckians the only way to fix the economy is through legalized gaming.